Savings bank



Jan. 29, 1946. P, E, ALLEN 2,393,729

SAVINGS BANK Filed Feb. 25.1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTORL Jan. 29, 1946. j P. E. ALLEN 2,393,729

SAVINGS BANK Filed Feb. 23, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. l

Patented Jan. 29, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

sail-mos PaulE.Allen, skokia lllp V Appiicationfebruaryza 1942, SeriaIaN ABrSM (oirzzo -to'i'f 2'Clain1s.

The present invention relates to a savings bank and more particularly to a "novel bank construction formed (if-interlocking sections; of a plastic material; whichwhen assembled; form a substantia-l replicaf 1 Iridependencej- Hall.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision 'of 'a noveLsa -vings bank and in the novel means and manner of constructing -.':thisbank to form a rigid assembly. r

The invention'further comprehends' a novel closure and lock 'assembly and including a novel key for-unlocking :andremoving the closure to permit readyaccess: to the contents of the bank.

Further objects are to provide a construction of 'maximumr simplicity, efilciency, economy and ease of: assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages-and capabilities as will later more dully tappear andrxare inherently possessed thereby;

The invention further. resides inithe construction; combination. andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment, itlis'to be understood that the same is susceptible ct -modification and change, and: comprehends other. details, arrangements of-parts, features and.

constructions without departing I. from the :spirit: of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig-urea is a *view in front elevation of the novel bank.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bank.

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of the novel construction.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the novel key for unlocking or opening the bank.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the base construction. Figure 6 is a disassembled view of the novel bank.

Figure '7 is a plan view of the bank with the roof and tower assembly removed.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section of the base of the bank with the lock removed and the key in position.

Figure 9 is a disassembled view in perspective of the lock.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the roof of the bank.

Figure 11 is a view part in vertical cross section and part in side elevation of the roof.

Figure 12 is a view part in vertical'cross section and part in side elevation through the bank construction with the tower assembly removed,

- Figure lii lsa bottom plan-viewpf-the roofi con':

structi'on.

Referring I more particularly to. the illustrative embodiment disclosed in:'the =drawings, the .novel bank isi formed of a 'plurality of sections adapted to interlock, and which, when assembled and when cemented togetheigi. provide a rigid .a'ndxintegrai construction. Generally. these :parts mayv be 're--. ferred to asa base- 1:, main .bodystructure .2, roof 3, Jand :a "tower 4 mounted on'an intermediate support 5; .The raised :portionxof. (.the based is provided with .an..iirregularly shaped opening. .6, with: the i periphery zofsthis .opening depressed: :at 1 anaprovidad with spacedupstanding lugs 8. These" lugs "are adapted :to' .be received .in .spaced openings 9 in the floor 10 of the mainrbody struc-v ture 2. The underside ofv the floor isacountersunk at H and provided with spaced notches-.12 for'the receptionof aloc'k l3. I

As -shown in, Figure-9 the lock..l3 isform'ed in. two sections, the lower .section'being a disc l4 having a substantially circular raised portion 15 provided ,with ,three spaced openings vI 6; and

I 5 and with=a segmentv removed therefromuat H2. The upper. secti0nxl8 oithe lock is ofsmaller. diameter and providedv with fourisubstantially equally spaced. projecting wings; or. flanges :19, the lower surface ofeachof: which issprovi'ded with-ran indentation- .20. These wings-oraflanges' are of .less thickness. than the adjoininglperiphcry of this section in order that they may be inherently resilient. The lower face of this section [8 is also formed with a centrally disposed depression l8 so contoured as to conformably receive the raised portion l5 of the lower section I4, and when these parts or sections are cemented or otherwise aflixed together, they form a substantially rigid construction with the opening 2| in the upper section I8 aligned with the central opening I6 in the disc or lower section [4. In order to retain the lock in locked or secured position, an upstanding detent 22 is provided on the upper face of the fioor I0, and this detent will ride over one of the resilient wings or flanges 19 as the lock is rotated, and seat in one of the aligned indentations 20. Spaced upstanding lugs 23 are also provided on the upper surface of the floor Ill against which opposed wings or flanges l9 abut to limit the rotation of the look.

In order to lock and unlock the bank, a key 24 is provided. This key is preferably in the shape of the Liberty Bell and is provided with a cross bar 25 from which project a pair of upstanding lugs or pins and ,an intermediate lug or projection 21 which is of greater length than the lugs 25. This intermediate lug is provided at its opposite sides with a protuberance or boss 28 making this lug or projection 21 of slightly greater width than the diameter of the central opening l6 so as to require force to insert the key and to automatically retain it in position. This permits; the lock or closure to be removed without; danger of spilling thecontents of the bank. This is clearly shown in Figure 8.

The roof v3 is provided with a. substantially centrally "arranged 'slot 29 for the insertion of coins to the interior of the bank, and is also provided with an opening 30, the purpose of which will be later more fully explained. The slot 29 is preferably defined by a continuous rib duced thereby and the fact that the material employed in constructing the bank is a plastic, preferably cellulose acetate and/or cellulose butyrate which is translucent or opaque so that light shines therethrough, gives the bank an unusual and unique appearance. .These plastic parts or sections maybe injection molded by any suitable equipment, and when assembled, provide a rigid construction permitting unusually rough han-.

dlingiand usage. g v jHaiving thus disclosedithe inventiongl claim:

1. In a savings bank including a main body' structure provided with a floor having its underside countersunk, an opening in the countersunk 3| for facilitating insertion of a coin, and-this slot ispreferably of'such width as to conform- .ably receive the lugs or pins ".26 ,fand 21 and. retain the key 24 in shipment or non-use of the bank. A flexible flap or closure 32 may be 'provided to prevent withdrawal or'removal ;0f the coins through the slot 29. In order to locate the roof upon the main body portion 2, it'isvpro'vided onits under surface with a non-continuous, but relatively deep depending flange 3'3 whichwhen these two parts are assembled, tightly conforms to the internal contour of theupper edge of the main body portion. The roof, as' well as the main body portion, has strengtheningribs wherever necessary or desirable to add rigidity to the structure. The roof isalso provided with substantially L-shaped upstanding'ribs or projec tions 34 which conform to the internal contour of the lower portion of the intermediate section 7 5' forming. the base or support as .well as part of the tower 4.

The tower 4 and intermediate support 5 -are hollow and located in. alignment with theopen ing .30 so that light may pass therethrough and .out of the-slits 35in thebase ofthe dome or This tower is provided with dependcupola 36. ing ribs or projections 31 conforming to the internal contour of the upper portion of the sec-V tion 5. The arrangement and construction of the tower 4 and support 5 permits a light 'to be located within the main'body structure 2, and due tothe alignment of the opening 30 and the hollow contour of the towerl and dome '36, the light shines therethrough and any heat generated is dissipated to the atmosphere. The efiect pro- "portion and formed with-spaced notches and intermediate arcuate segments, a closure adapted to fit into the countersunk portion and provided .with a lower section conforming to' the shape of said portion and an upper section conforming to the shape of the opening and having spaced flanges receivable inthe spaced notohes, means for joining the sections including a-substantially circular projection on one sectionhaving a segment thereof removed vanda complementary vrecess in the other section for receiving, said projection to lock these sections against relative rotation, said closure be ing rotatable to, bring the .flanges' over the arcuate segments and thereby lock the closure in position.

2. In a savings bank including a main body structure provided with a floor having its underside countersunk, an openingin the countersunk portion andformed, with spaced notches andfintermediate arcuate segments, a closure adapted to fit into the countersunk portion and provided with a lower section conformingto the shape of said portion and an upper section conforming to the shape of the opening .with spaced flanges sub-' stantially conforming to and receivable. m. the

spacednotches, means for joining the sections including'a'centrall'y disposed raised portion on the lower section and a complementary recess the upper sectionfor receiving-said raised por 'tion, said closure being rotatable to bring-said flanges over the arcuate segments and therebylock the closurein position, and det'ent means for preventing accidental unlocking. of' the closure. 1 

